Does topping really slow growth?

ImpulsiveGrower · Apr 27, 2021

First time grower here and I just topped most of my plants today(FIM my Indica strain)and from what I’ve read this causes a lot of stress to the plant. I’ve also seen a lot of ppl say in these forums that their growth doesn’t slow down at all and in fact the growth increases as a response to being topped. So I want to get some more feedback from ppl to see what you guys think. Does topping cause stress that slows growth and needs extra time to recover or does your plant increase growth as a response? I’m at day 27 from seed...I’m new so I’ve tried FIMing my short Indica and topped the hybrids and I also ponytailed one of my plants. I’m growing 6 strains and learning as much as I can and trying different things. I plan to scrog in my 2x8 closet.

Pushrod Monkey · Apr 27, 2021

It does slow vertical growth but it does not stress them. Good job so far.

smokedareefer · May 13, 2021

A little stress causes vigorous growth imo.

quirk · May 14, 2021

Doesn't appear to have stopped, slowed or stressed those lovely specimens.

ImpulsiveGrower · May 14, 2021

quirk said:
Doesn't appear to have stopped, slowed or stressed those lovely specimens.

Definitely not

One drop · May 14, 2021

Nope not really just stops apex growth makes lateral branches want to be Apex buds this drives it to punch out branches all trying to be the Apex dominant so topping gives you many Apex dominant buds not just the big bud on the top if you had not topped it looking great nice job keep it up . Od.

One drop · May 14, 2021

ImpulsiveGrower said:
First time grower here and I just topped most of my plants today(FIM my Indica strain)and from what I’ve read this causes a lot of stress to the plant. I’ve also seen a lot of ppl say in these forums that their growth doesn’t slow down at all and in fact the growth increases as a response to being topped. So I want to get some more feedback from ppl to see what you guys think. Does topping cause stress that slows growth and needs extra time to recover or does your plant increase growth as a response? I’m at day 27 from seed...I’m new so I’ve tried FIMing my short Indica and topped the hybrids and I also ponytailed one of my plants. I’m growing 6 strains and learning as much as I can and trying different things. I plan to scrog in my 2x8 closet.

Also I would move your sticky traps to above the canopy the gnats fly high in there looking for a mate it will attract them up to the yellow colour .

KingHale · May 14, 2021

Topping definitely slows the growth of outer (or lower) branches. If you top your plant, I would suggest doing so at a point that allows you to pull your outer branches to the outside and your inner branches to the inside. I set my branches with gardening string and force the upper branches to grow outward and the lower branches to grow inwards. This creates a mess of clones to deal with but it also lowers the entire plant down to the same height.

I can’t claim this to be the absolute best way to grow your plant, but the last seed that I planted created a yield of 655.6 grams off of one single seed. I’m already into my third week of flower on the grow that followed, and I’m not even half way through my previous product. These are good problems to have.

Dub_City405 · May 14, 2021

Stressing the plant in any way slow growth. Topping it properly at the time you did will slow growth maybe two days or three at the most. If you got good healthy roots the plant will take that shock and jump right back quick.

I top every single grow. To have an even canopy. I top multiple node sites. Multiple times to grow it evenly. I hate having 2 grow twice the size. As the other 6. In a 4x4 that light is valuable.

hillbil · May 17, 2021

A very few strains hate topping and they never regain vigor, but very few. I top almost everything and see no evidence of stress most alway. Does seem to add a week to veg development time.

growsince79 · May 17, 2021

hillbil said:
A very few strains hate topping and they never regain vigor, but very few. I top almost everything and see no evidence of stress most alway. Does seem to add a week to veg development time.

Doesn't slow my plants one bit.

Mr.GreenFinland · Feb 17, 2025

KingHale said:
Topping definitely slows the growth of outer (or lower) branches. If you top your plant, I would suggest doing so at a point that allows you to pull your outer branches to the outside and your inner branches to the inside. I set my branches with gardening string and force the upper branches to grow outward and the lower branches to grow inwards. This creates a mess of clones to deal with but it also lowers the entire plant down to the same height.

I can’t claim this to be the absolute best way to grow your plant, but the last seed that I planted created a yield of 655.6 grams off of one single seed. I’m already into my third week of flower on the grow that followed, and I’m not even half way through my previous product. These are good problems to have.

Hello!
*I'm from Finland - so my english aint 100% fluent but lets give it a try shall we :)
Those things you mention seems to be all about the methods you use: for example (i have been doing this since 2007 + i studied this profession called "garden plant producer") so i got a 150X150X220cm tent for flowering phase and a 120X120X220cm for vegetation. After topping i tie weights into the branches so they bend into horizontal and wide and as a fanatic person i developped a strain combining Critical+ and Critical+ into full feminized (DIY Critical+ 2.0) seeds and if you keep these in a vegetative state over 25 days the plants will become +180cm in height.
Last time two plants produced 450g super-dry and tight bud. There is a picture of my plant thats been on a vegetative phase for 25 days, waiting to be flipped after five days. Its beed topped ten days ago, i measured it from the surface of the coconut fibre to be 65cm high, 75cm wide and the two "main tops" (that grow after topping it) are 23cm.
Basically i use 24l pot, coconut fibre, a 600W SPNa light (with adapter = 250/400/600/650W).
That kind of nice little buds i had last time :)

Mr.GreenFinland · Feb 17, 2025

growsince79 said:
Doesn't slow my plants one bit.

Autoflower strains are most definitely a no-no when it comes to topping.

Markjobs2020 · Feb 17, 2025

ImpulsiveGrower said:
First time grower here and I just topped most of my plants today(FIM my Indica strain)and from what I’ve read this causes a lot of stress to the plant. I’ve also seen a lot of ppl say in these forums that their growth doesn’t slow down at all and in fact the growth increases as a response to being topped. So I want to get some more feedback from ppl to see what you guys think. Does topping cause stress that slows growth and needs extra time to recover or does your plant increase growth as a response? I’m at day 27 from seed...I’m new so I’ve tried FIMing my short Indica and topped the hybrids and I also ponytailed one of my plants. I’m growing 6 strains and learning as much as I can and trying different things. I plan to scrog in my 2x8 closet.

I always fim did a bit of a test on my last run I noticed the ones I topped were taller all the same strein the ones I fimed had more colas and were more level to each other

OldOneEye · Feb 17, 2025

ImpulsiveGrower said:
First time grower here and I just topped most of my plants today(FIM my Indica strain)and from what I’ve read this causes a lot of stress to the plant. I’ve also seen a lot of ppl say in these forums that their growth doesn’t slow down at all and in fact the growth increases as a response to being topped. So I want to get some more feedback from ppl to see what you guys think. Does topping cause stress that slows growth and needs extra time to recover or does your plant increase growth as a response? I’m at day 27 from seed...I’m new so I’ve tried FIMing my short Indica and topped the hybrids and I also ponytailed one of my plants. I’m growing 6 strains and learning as much as I can and trying different things. I plan to scrog in my 2x8 closet.

I'm not sure if these points were already made but these are my thoughts on topping,
But by topping a plant, the plant in response starts to make an auxin that helps the plant heal, this auxin at this point is made from that point on, enabling it to respond better to future injuries or sickness.
If growth slowing is experienced it is due primarily exactly what you topped for, light and nutrient energy is now split in half. Half going to each new alpha stem.
Cheers

hillbil · Feb 19, 2025

Topping will slow you a week, I top and train most everything which eliminates the “one big cola” which helps with mold/bud rot.

Does topping really slow growth?

Does topping really slow growth?

ImpulsiveGrower

Attachments

Pushrod Monkey

smokedareefer

quirk

ImpulsiveGrower

One drop

Bush Doctor

One drop

Bush Doctor

KingHale

Attachments

Dub_City405

hillbil

growsince79

Mr.GreenFinland

Mr.GreenFinland

Markjobs2020

OldOneEye

hillbil

Does topping really slow growth?

Does topping really slow growth?

ImpulsiveGrower

Attachments

Pushrod Monkey

smokedareefer

quirk

ImpulsiveGrower

One drop

Bush Doctor

One drop

Bush Doctor

KingHale

Attachments

Dub_City405

hillbil

growsince79

Mr.GreenFinland

Mr.GreenFinland

Markjobs2020

OldOneEye

hillbil

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency